Anti-seismic protection device

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an anti-seismic protection device ( 1 ) that can be installed in a home, comprising: —a base frame portion ( 2 A) comprising at least four base tubular elements ( 21 A) made of carbon fibre arranged in plan so as to constitute the vertices of a base rectangle, said tubular elements being connected to each other by means of tubular base frame beams ( 23  A) made of carbon fibre, arranged to form diagonals of the base rectangle, —a shower tray ( 3 ) coupled to said base frame portion ( 2 A) provided with a water drainage hole, —a cap frame portion ( 2 B) comprising at least four cap tubular elements ( 21 B) made of carbon fibre arranged in plan so as to constitute the vertices of a cap rectangle, said tubular elements being connected to each other by means of tubular cap frame beams ( 23 B) made of carbon fibre, said second tubular cap frame elements ( 23 B) being arranged to form diagonals of the cap rectangle, wherein each tubular cap element ( 21 B) in operating condition is placed on the vertical of a corresponding base tubular element ( 21 A), spaced therefrom —an intermediate frame portion ( 2 C) comprising four tubular uprights ( 21 C) that can each be coupled at an opposite free end to one of the four base tubular elements ( 21 A) and to the corresponding cap tubular element ( 21 B) placed on the vertical, and wherein the intermediate frame portion ( 2 C) further comprises at least three peripheral walls ( 22 C), each peripheral wall ( 22 C) extending between two neighbouring uprights ( 21 C) —a water dispenser coupled to the cap frame portion ( 2 B) or to the intermediate frame portion ( 2 C), such that the anti-seismic protection device ( 1 ) can be used as a shower cabin.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of anti-seismic protectiondevices, in particular to those devices that allow at least one user tobe protected from the consequences of an earthquake.

STATE OF THE ART

At the state of the art various safety devices are known.

Recent events, the particular geological configuration of a country,such as Italy, the construction characteristics of homes, media reviewsand the mood perceived in people indicate a widespread sense of anxietywith regard to the safety of buildings.

The combination between old buildings and seismic unreliability of theterritory make projects aimed at providing solutions that “alleviate”the sense of anxiety in people feasible, producing integrated structurescapable of reducing the effects of seismic risk on people.

Besides renovation operations or the construction of new buildings withanti-seismic capacities, there are still few solutions to the problem ofguaranteeing the users of an existing home, built in the past (e.g.constructions of historical value) an effective protection in the eventof the consequences of an earthquake.

In general, reinforced protective capsules, such as wardrobes, areknown, which can be installed in a home to guarantee this protection;however, this solution has an important limit, related to the footprintof the capsule; in fact, in order to perform its function, this lattermust always be maintained empty, so as to be immediately accessible whenthe first signs of the earthquake occur.

However, the Applicant has noted that these capsules are often filledwith household effects that the occupants tend to store when there is noother space for them in the home; this in fact makes the capsuleunusable because, as when the earthquake occurs, it is already filledwith household effects and therefore cannot hold people.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to overcome the problems of theprior art.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an anti-seismicprotection device that can be installed in a home, which, owing to itsnature, is always maintained empty and accessible and does not occupyunnecessary space in the home.

The idea underlying the invention is that of producing an anti-seismicprotection device that can be installed in a home that incorporates thefunctions of a shower cabin; in fact, the Applicant has brilliantlydiscovered that, despite any possible lack of space in a home, typicallythe shower cabin is automatically kept free by the occupants, who makeuse of it.

In this way, it is possible to have available an anti-seismic protectiondevice that does not occupy unnecessary space, that is normally keptempty and accessible and that can replace a normal pre-existing showercabin or be installed as new shower cabin.

These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by meansof a device that incorporates the characteristics of the appendedclaims, which form an integral part of the present description.

A subject matter of the invention is an anti-seismic protection devicethat can be installed in a home, comprising

-   -   a base frame portion comprising at least four base tubular        elements made of carbon fibre arranged in plan so as to        constitute the vertices of a base rectangle, said tubular        elements being connected to each other by means of tubular base        beams made of carbon fibre, said tubular base beams being        arranged to form diagonals of the base rectangle,    -   a shower tray coupled to said base frame portion provided with a        water drainage hole,    -   a cap frame portion comprising at least four cap tubular        elements made of carbon fibre arranged in plan so as to        constitute the vertices of a cap rectangle, said tubular        elements being connected to each other by means of tubular cap        beams made of carbon fibre, said second tubular cap beams being        arranged to form diagonals of the cap rectangle,

wherein each tubular cap element in operating condition is placed on thevertical of a corresponding base tubular element, spaced therefrom

-   -   an intermediate frame portion comprising four tubular uprights        that can each be coupled at an opposite free end to one of the        four base tubular elements and to the corresponding cap tubular        element placed on the vertical, and wherein the intermediate        frame portion further comprises at least three peripheral walls,        each peripheral wall extending between two neighbouring        uprights,    -   a water dispenser coupled to the cap frame portion or to the        intermediate frame portion,

such that the anti-seismic protection device can be used as a showercabin.

Further advantageous characteristics are the subject matter of theappended claims, which are intended as an integral part of the presentdescription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention shall be described hereunder with reference tonon-limiting examples, provided purely for non-limited explanatorypurposes in the accompanying drawings. These drawings illustratedifferent aspects and embodiments of the invention and, whereappropriate, reference numerals illustrating similar structures,components, materials and/or elements in different figures are indicatedby similar reference numerals.

In the appended figures:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the device of the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate two views, respectively plan and sectional, ofa base frame portion of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate two views, respectively plan and sectional, ofa cap frame portion of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 illustrates a sectional view of a portion of an upright coupledto peripheral walls of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7-9 illustrate a front view of a peripheral wall and uprights ofthe device of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate the deformation of the device of theinvention in two different load conditions, respectively from above andlateral.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications andalternative constructions, some preferred embodiments are shown in thedrawings and shall be described in detail hereunder.

However, it is understood that there is no intention to limit theinvention to the specific embodiment illustrated but, on the contrary,it intends to cover all modifications, alternative constructions andequivalents that fall within the scope of the invention as defined inthe claims.

Unless otherwise indicated, the use of “for example”, “etc.”, “or”indicates non-exclusive alternatives without limitation.

Unless otherwise indicated, the use of “includes” means “includes, butnot limited to”.

Indications such as “vertical” and “horizontal”, “upper” and “lower” (inthe absence of other indications) must be interpreted with reference tothe mounting (or operating) conditions and referring to the normalterminology in use in current language, where “vertical” means adirection substantially parallel to that of the force of gravity vector“g” and horizontal means a direction perpendicular thereto.

The figures illustrate a non-limiting example of an anti-seismicprotection device 1 of the invention that can be installed in a home.

The device 1 comprises a base frame portion 2A shown in the detail ofFIGS. 2 and 3.

The base frame portion 2A comprises at least four base tubular elements21A made of carbon fibre, shaped, for example, in the fashion of a cup.

The elements 21A are arranged, in plan, so as to constitute the verticesof a base rectangle, visible in FIG. 2.

The tubular elements 21A are connected to each other by means of tubularbase frame beams 23A made of carbon fibre.

More in detail, the base frame beams 23A are arranged to form thediagonals of the base rectangle and are preferably joined at thecrossing point of the two diagonals.

The base frame portion 2A further comprises a shower tray 3 coupled tothe base frame portion 2A provided with at least a water drainage hole31.

The shower tray 3 is preferably made of plastic material or plasticresin and is coupled to the tubular elements 21A and/or to the baseframe beams 23A; in other embodiments, the shower tray 3 integrates thetubular elements 21A and/or the base frame beams 23A.

The device 1 further comprises a cap frame portion 2B, shown in FIGS. 4and 5.

In mounted condition, the cap frame portion 2B is positioned above andspaced from the base frame portion 2A.

Similarly to the base frame portion, the cap frame portion 2B comprisesat least four cap tubular elements 21B, for example cup shaped, made ofcarbon fibre arranged in plan to form the vertices of a cap rectangle.

The tubular elements 21B are connected to each other by means of capframe beams 23B, said cap frame beams 23B being arranged to formdiagonals of the cap rectangle.

Each tubular cap element 21B in operating condition is placed on thevertical of a corresponding base tubular element 21A, spaced therefrom;similarly, the base frame beams 23A are arranged on the vertical of thecap frame beams 23B.

Preferably the cap frame portion 2B further comprises a perforated capwall which, in its mounted condition, is horizontal; preferably theperforated cap wall is provided with holes having a diameter less thanor equal to one centimetre and is made of carbon fibre; in this way itis possible to protect the occupants from falling debris of a smallsize, and also at the same time strengthen the overall structure of thedevice 1.

The device 1 further comprises an intermediate frame portion 2Ccomprising four tubular uprights 21C each coupled or that can each becoupled at an opposite free end to one of the four base tubular elements21A and to the corresponding tubular cap element 21B placed on thevertical of the respective base tubular element 21A.

The intermediate frame portion 2C further comprises at least threeperipheral walls 22C; each peripheral wall 22C extends between twoneighbouring uprights 21C, so as to close the cavity inside the device1, which contains the occupant, on three sides.

Preferably, the peripheral walls 22C are made of carbon fibre sheets, soas to provide adequate protection in the event of an earthquake combinedwith optimal lightness; alternatively, the walls could be made ofmaterials suitable for the purpose.

The device 1 further comprises a water dispenser coupled to the capframe portion 2B or to the intermediate frame portion 2C, according toneeds; similarly, pipes for conveying hot and cold water to thedispenser can be included.

In this way, the anti-seismic protection device 1 can advantageously beused as a shower cabin, with the consequence that it usually remainsempty and available for prompt use.

Optionally, there is further provided a fourth wall divided in twohalf-walls each of which is oscillating with respect to a respectiveupright, so as to form a wing of an access door with two wings.

Preferably, to strengthen the structure, each half-wall comprises asheet made of plastic material, preferably plexiglass, around which aframe made of carbon fibre extends peripherally.

To make the device 1 sturdy but easy to mount, each tubular upright 21Cis preferably coupled to the corresponding base 21A and cap 21B tubularelements by force fitting; in this sense the length of the tubularuprights 21C is greater than that of the lateral walls, so that at leastthe portion of upright to be fitted into the base 21A and cap 21Btubular elements projects upwards and downwards with respect to thewall, as is visible in FIG. 7.

Preferably, the four tubular uprights 21C are made of carbon fibre,while in other embodiments they are made of metal, for example aluminiumor steel.

Passing now to the description of FIGS. 6, 8 and 9, each of the threeperipheral walls 22C made of carbon fibre preferably comprises at leastvertical edges, in mounting condition, shaped as an L.

Correspondingly, each upright 21C houses therein at least one metal bar25C that extends for at least part, or preferably the whole, of thelength of the upright and is connected to a vertical edge of an adjacentperipheral wall 22C by means of screw connection means 26C, as isvisible, for example, in the section of FIG. 6.

Therefore, three sides of the device are completely blind to any passageexcept for the holes for the taps and for the water dispenser; withtheir particular strength they totally prevent the access of unwantedelements and at the same time provide amplification of the rigidity ofthe uprights preventing the “peak load” phenomenon with their couplingby means of continuous fasteners along the whole of the length of theupright which in fact increases the moment of inertia of thepanel-tube-panel section, especially due to the particular L-shapedconnection.

The aforesaid objects are thus achieved.

Naturally, numerous variants to what has been described so far arepossible.

For example, in the case of metal uprights, in place of perforation withbolts, welded studs, for example TIG welded, will be provided to closethe angle bar of the wall.

The wall thickness of the tube of the uprights 21C preferably rangesbetween 0.3 cm and 0.5 cm, more preferably approximately equal to 0.4 cmand the fibre is preferably of a turbostratic type.

The tube thickness of the frame and/or cap beams 23A, 23B preferablyranges between 0.1 cm and 0.3 cm, more preferably approximately equal to0.2 cm preferably with fibre of a turbostratic type.

The thickness of the lateral wall preferably ranges between 0.2 cm and0.4 cm, more preferably approximately equal to 0.3 cm with fibre eitherof a turbostratic or graphitic type.

The measurements can have an oscillation preferably of the order of 15%to be verified by calculation with the exact data of the material duringexecution.

In an evolved version, in addition to the base and cap beams 23A and 23Barranged to form the diagonals of the respective rectangles, there arealso provided additional tubular elements, base and/or cap, arranged toform the sides of the respective rectangles and connected to therespective elements 21A and/or 21B.

The behaviour under load of the device 1 in the embodiment illustratedin FIG. 1 is shown in the simulations of FIGS. 10 and 11, in which itcan be noted that irrespective of the load, the structure deforms whilemaintaining on its inside a sizeable volume for the safety of theoccupant.

The vertical force is estimated as equal to three times the loadcoefficient of the slabs of the floor of the homes, thereby estimatingthe breaking load of the floor: it is deemed that 2,400 kg providesufficient assurance for the purpose indicated; laterally, a thrust ofno more than 1,000 kg, distributed on the surface, is estimated.

Optionally, the device of the invention can be provided with a wireless(i.e. using radio waves) transmission or transceiver system to be foundafter an earthquake.

In fact, it is important that, if the occupants are unharmed, they arefound rapidly, in the event of being unable to reach a safe area ontheir own due to rubble.

In this case, the transmission or transceiver system provided on thedevice is able to transmit a signal that can be received by a receiver(even a simple smartphone) to help to locate the position of the deviceunder the rubble. Determining the location can take place by means of ameasurement of the intensity of the electromagnetic waves of thetransmission or transceiver system and/or by means of theirtriangulation.

According to a further improvement the device can also be provided withpresence and/or movement sensors communicating with the transmission ortransceiver system to send signals indicative of the present of anoccupant and/or of movement in the device, so as to improve targetedsearch and rescue operations.

Bird & Bird

1. An anti-seismic protection device that can be installed in a home, comprising: a base frame portion comprising at least four base tubular elements made of carbon fiber arranged in plan so as to constitute the vertices of a base rectangle, said tubular elements being connected to each other by means of tubular base frame beams made of carbon fiber, arranged to form diagonals of the base rectangle, a shower tray coupled to said base frame portion provided with a water drainage hole, a cap frame portion comprising at least four cap tubular elements made of carbon fiber arranged in plan so as to constitute the vertices of a cap rectangle, said tubular elements being connected to each other by means of tubular cap frame beams made of carbon fiber, said second tubular cap frame elements being arranged to form diagonals of the cap rectangle, wherein each tubular cap element in operating condition is placed on the vertical of a corresponding base tubular element, spaced therefrom an intermediate frame portion comprising four tubular uprights that can each be coupled at an opposite free end to one of the four base tubular elements and to the corresponding cap tubular element placed on the vertical, and wherein the intermediate frame portion further comprises at least three peripheral walls, each peripheral wall extending between two neighboring uprights a water dispenser coupled to the cap frame portion or to the intermediate frame portion, such that the anti-seismic protection device can be used as a shower cabin.
 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said three peripheral walls are made of carbon fiber sheets.
 3. The device according to claim 1, comprising a fourth wall divided in two half-walls each of which is oscillating with respect to a respective upright, so as to form a wing of an access door with two wings around which a frame made of carbon fiber extends peripherally.
 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein each tubular upright is coupled to the corresponding base and cap tubular elements by forced fitting.
 5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said four tubular uprights are made of carbon fiber.
 6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said four tubular uprights are made of metal.
 7. The device according to claim 1, comprising a perforated cap wall coupled to said cap frame portion.
 8. The device according to claim 2, wherein each of the three peripheral walls made of carbon fibre comprises at least vertical edges, in mounting condition, shaped as an L, in which each upright houses therein at least one metal bar connected to a vertical edge of an adjacent peripheral wall by means of screw connection means.
 9. The device according to claim 3, wherein each half-wall comprises a sheet of plastic material.
 10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the plastic material is plexiglass.
 11. The device according to claim 7, wherein the perforated cap wall is provided with holes having a diameter less than or equal to one centimeter. 